[nagdu] Do's and Don't's

[Garry and Joy Relton]

Well, the bottom line is, that the rules are really whatever people set for
themselves. However, having said that, I have rules in my house and with my
dogs that I've found work pretty well.  

First, my dog has her bed which is next to mine and she sleeps in it. She
has full run of the house during the day but I bring her in and have her lay
on her bed at night. In that way I know when she gets up because I'm a light
sleeper.

Secondly, when I say that my dog guides  are allowed everywhere in the
house, that means that they are generally sent out of the kitchen so that
we're not tripping over them when we're working in there. They  are not
allowed to beg or sit at the table while we do. Neither are my cats. 

Thirdly, my dogs are not allowed to jump up and get things off of counters,
tables and the like and will be severely reprimanded if they try.

Fourthly, my dogs are not allowed on the furniture. Not in my home, and not
in the hotel. My cats do go onto the couch and I don't mind that, but I
don't let them on the counters or tables while we are eating, serving food
or preparing it. 

I have found that dogs, like children behave in public like they do in their
homes. If they're allowed to bounce on the couch they will in someone else's
home. I've had a few of those children in my home. That behavior wasn't
welcome. I am fortunate that my dogs and my children have always behaved
themselves very well in people's homes. If they're going to make a mistake,
I'd rather it were in our home where they can be assured that they will be
loved regardless of their mistakes. 

I have never kenneled any of my animals in cages during any time in my
homes. If that works for people that's fine. I put the cats in carriers when
I take them to the vets so that they are safe. The only time I've put a dog
in a kennel was when I shipped my retiring dog home to my folks farm. It
broke my heart.

I don't mind cleaning up after animals if they have an accident when they
are ill. It's not fun, but children do the same things and you just deal
with it. 

I do put my dogs on tie-down in the office so that I don't have to look for
them if I step out the office door for a second or get busy. I also hook
them to table legs when I go up to sing at a place when we're doing karaoke
because I don't want their ears to be hurt. Otherwise I step on their leash
so that I know where they are at all times. 

So, that's my opinion, for what it's worth.
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Buddy Brannan
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 5:55 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Do's and Don't's



On May 30, 2009, at 5:39 PM, Nicole B. Torcolini wrote:

>    Just out of curiosity, what do people think of the various do's
> and don't's that some people use, like dogs on tie downs, dogs on  
> furniture, dogs in beds, etc?

I think most of them make good sense, but everyone has to know his own  
dog well enough to know when something may be appropriate. My take on  
rules in general is that it's as important to know why a rule exists  
as it is to have the rule in the first place, so that you then know  
when you can (or even should) break a particular rule.

For instance, putting dogs on a tie down or a crate when they're out  
of your immediate control is probably a good idea, if for no other  
reason than limiting the scope of trouble a dog can get into when  
you're not around. When I had Karl, I often didn't leave him on tie  
down or in a crate at night, because at night, he never got up or got  
into trouble. That is, for the first couple years. You see, I didn't  
understand another reason for that particular rule, until the morning  
I did. While Karl continued to stay out of trouble, on the morning in  
question, I stepped out of the shower, out the bathroom door, and into  
a cold, squishy pile of doggie diarrhea. After that, Karl (and later,  
Chet) were confined to a crate or tie down at night or when I left  
them alone. Not because I thought they'd get into mischief, although  
that's always a possibility, but because I didn't want to step into  
any more nasty surprises.

Many people let their dogs on their furniture. I do not. Occasionally  
I'll hold Chet in my lap in a rocking chair or sofa, but generally  
they're mine, and never on his prompting. Some people say their dogs  
know the difference between getting on the furniture at home and not  
getting on the furniture elsewhere; even that their dogs know they can  
sleep in the bed at home but not elsewhere. I'm not convinced that  
dogs have that level of discernment. AT least, neither of mine have  
had. So, no furniture, and no sleeping in the bed with me. Remember  
when you're away from home at a hotel, you're responsible for  
extraordinary damage or what not, and it's probably best if your dog  
doesn't crash on the hotel beds, if for no other than CYA reasons. 

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